The World Cup provides a unique diplomatic opportunity for North American co-hosts (US, Canada, Mexico) to overcome deep historical and political frictions. Despite ongoing economic tensions and border disputes, the region maintains profound integration, evidenced by $1 trillion in annual cross-border trade and large trans-national populations. The shared cultural experience of major global events can transcend nationalistic divides, allowing leaders to refocus on common ground. Policymakers should leverage such moments to promote cooperation and build social bridges, mitigating geopolitical disputes that threaten continental stability.
The False Promise of “Flexible Realism”
English Summary
The article critiques the political deployment of "flexible realism" as a rhetorical device used to legitimize foreign policy actions. While acknowledging that realism correctly identifies power as the core currency of international politics, the piece argues that this framing often serves to mask underlying instability or recklessness. Policymakers should view such claims of pragmatic flexibility with skepticism, recognizing that oversimplifying complex geopolitical realities under the guise of pure power politics can lead to strategic miscalculation.
中文摘要
本文批判了「彈性現實主義」作為一種修辭工具，在政治層面被運用來為合法化外交政策行動。雖然文章承認現實主義正確地將權力視為國際政治的核心貨幣，但其論點指出，這種框架往往用於掩蓋潛在的不穩定或魯莽。政策制定者應對這種實用靈活性的主張保持懷疑態度，並認識到以純粹權力政治為名義過度簡化複雜的地緣政治現實，極有可能導致戰略性誤判。
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